Hi,

Had an appointment to see my GP today, to be honest I had no idea why as I only ever saw my midwife during my last pregnancy but when I first saw her to say I was pregnant she made this follow up appointment.

All went well, heard beans heartbeat again which was fab, my iron levels are better, but she said that from the tests she had done from my first appointment she had found out I had Group B step! I was kind of aware of what it was from reading about how they want it to be routinely tested for in the UK, but I don't think I was tested for it when I was pregnant with Brendan. I've been reading all about it on the net since I got home and it has scared the hell out of me that if it hadn't been picked up the chances of the bean getting poorly after birth would have been fairly high.

I get tested again for it at 36 weeks as there is a chance it could clear up, but if I still have it then they need to give me antibiotics via a drip on the onset of labour.

I would really recommend to any of you that have any more babies in the future to ask about being tested for this, here is a really good website with loads of information on it for anyone interested in learning more http://www.gbss.org.uk/section.php?section_id=3§ion=what_is_gbs.

Hope you are all doing ok, and getting excited for Christmas! xxx

Glad all is well!

Also glad they picked up the Strep B as like you say without pick up it can be serious but now they know it will all be fine - lady at work had it and once they no it's all ok but scary that you could go into labour not knowing!

Oh and hope you are feeling better all round too!?

Hope your starting to feel a bit better and looking forward to going home for christmas!
I got myself tested for this when I was 37wks and it was negitive but if we ever have more kids I would deffo get tested again because just because you haven't had it for one baby doesn't mean you won't get it for any more babys you have and vise versa. There should deffo be more information available to pregnant women and a bigger campaign to make women aware of it!

Thanks Charli,

Yep I am feeling better all around, bit worried about the Strep B but more than anything relieved that it was picked up. If I was in the UK I don't think I would have even considered getting tested as I knew so little about it. I don't understand why it isn't offered as routine there, particularly as there are no symptoms so you don't know if you are a carrier or not.

Good to hear of someone that had it and everything was ok. Sounds like I am going to be more closely monitored which can only ever be a good thing xx

great to hear you are doing ok and like the others said i'm sure it will be fine as it is if it goes undiscovered there's problems. i'm a bit in the dark about it myself but i do know there's a lot of hype about it over here as i think they routinely test for it in the states and there's pressure to get it done in uk but no sign of it happening.

look after yourself and happy pregnancy

Glad all went well I had strep b with Rhys but was only picked up after given birth so Rhys had to have anti biotics for a week and bloods cultivated and checked befor we were allowed home.

A friend of mine was the same but with 2nd baby they monitored her more throughout preg n when in labour was given anti b's so baby didn't have to have them once born or bloods taken x

Thanks everyone.

Becci, that must have been scary only finding out after Rhys was born. So glad he was ok, good to hear your friend had a good experience once it was known about too. Helps to put my mind at rest xx

hi


keep seeing these threads on the homepage that catch my eye...

With my 4th I was tested (for the first time) for Strep b and was told it was a high result. Result can be negative, low, moderate or high. This worried me a great deal. I was told that putting cloves of garlic up your ladies place can help. I tried it. Stupid me! Not much improved and I stunk for days...ha ha!!! I felt realy geat....fat, fed up and smelly!!!!

I was due to be put on IV drip when I went into labour. Things turned out not really to plan and I woke up at 4.20am in labour with contractions 2 mins apart!!! No idea if I slept through the build up OR I started that quickly. Anyway, got in the car and by the time we got to hosp I was 7cm. They did put drip up but Charlie came within an hour of getting to hosp. he was in distress and swallowed a lot of gunk on the way out. He was took to have his stomach pumped. As a precaution they kept him on an IV drip for48 hours. He was fine and well though thank goodness. It is rare for a baby to be affected (a good friend did lose her baby at birth to this though about 11 years ago) however, it is such a simple test that I dont know why they dont do it in UK. I too live abroad (in the middle east) and they do it here not as standard but they ask if you want it done.

Try not to worry as now it has been found you and your baby will be fine and well. Even if like me you have a quick labour then there will still be options.

dxx

Thanks dee dee, glad to hear all is well with your lo too. xxx

Its so good that you have found out now - at least now they are prepared and can keep an eye on you.

Take care xx

Glad you found out Liz, all will be fine now they know. And will def. ask for this test if another bubba comes along xxx

Thanks ladies,

The more I have read and heard from others about this the more relieved I am that I have found out I have it. I'm feeling a lot less worried about it than I was when I first found out, and just lucky that I know about it and it can be sorted out.

I've got a few pregnant friends in the UK that have recently announced their pregnancies so I have passed the info on to them too. xxx

Liz, when i was pregnant with the 2nd mmc the Dr picked up group B strep (totally unrelated to mmc though) so when i went for Dr appt with Philip pregnancy she checked again and it came back negative. As long as it's been picked up and you will be monitored you'll be fine, try not to worry too much and enjoy your stay over here, can't wait to meet everyone on the 29th! x

thats good that they have picked it up now. i think next time i wil get tested, so not worth the gamble after reading up on it.
thanks for making me more aware as this seems to be an ongoing debate over here. and i would like to think about planning no 2 soon (!) and this is something i thought about but put to the back of my mind.
hope ur ok hun
xxxx

Glad to hear all's well with you and bean and that they've got a plan for the strep B. They know what they're doing and I'm sure all will be fine, but it is much better to be on the safe side, just try not to worry....easier said than done!

i think thats waht my friend had and they did something straight after birth!!! at least its picked up so everything will be ok!!!

so glad your pregnancy is goling well, just found out my friends pregant due 28th July - she mc the last time so she's a bit nervous about this preg!
it gets me broody thinking about all these new babies BUT then i think practically it's soooo not gonna happen any time soon!

Still no broodiness on my part! But an overwhelming feeling of awe and admiration for any of you lovely ladies brave enough to want to do all this more than once! XXX